California, Oregon, and Washington announced on Wednesday the creation of a joint health alliance to provide residents with reliable, science-based vaccine information, as upheaval at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to spark concern.
In a joint statement, Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of California, Tina Kotek of Oregon, and Jay Inslee of Washington said the move was necessary to safeguard public health in the face of what they described as the Trump Administration’s politicization of the CDC. “President Donald Trump’s mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists—and his blatant politicization of the agency—is a direct assault on the health and safety of the American people,” the governors said. “California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk.”
The alliance, they explained, will coordinate health policies by relying on recommendations from independent scientists, clinicians, and respected medical organizations. While each state will continue to craft its own strategies, the three leaders pledged to align vaccine guidance and immunization recommendations to ensure residents receive consistent advice based on evidence rather than shifting federal directives.
The announcement comes amid a leadership crisis at the CDC. Last week, the White House claimed to have fired CDC Director Susan Monarez, though she refused to vacate her post. Monarez had been in office for just over a month. At least four senior officials resigned in the aftermath. The administration quickly appointed Jim O’Neill, a former Silicon Valley executive with no medical training and a deputy to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as acting CDC chief.
Monarez’s attorneys said she was targeted after resisting pressure to approve “unscientific, reckless directives” and to dismiss senior experts. Her removal adds to concerns about Kennedy’s growing influence over the nation’s vaccine policy. A long-time vaccine skeptic, Kennedy has overseen sweeping changes since his appointment earlier this year. In May, the CDC stopped recommending COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children. More recently, the Food and Drug Administration restricted updated COVID-19 shots to those aged 65 and older or people at higher risk of severe illness.
Medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have pushed back, issuing guidance that diverges from federal policy. Meanwhile, Kennedy dismissed all 17 members of the CDC’s immunization advisory committee in June, a move sharply criticized by West Coast leaders and health experts.
Tensions within the public health community have also escalated. Hundreds of professionals signed a letter last month urging Kennedy to “stop spreading inaccurate health information” and to protect agency staff. The appeal followed a shooting at CDC headquarters, which many linked to rising public hostility toward health workers amid politicized rhetoric.
By forming their own alliance, California, Oregon, and Washington hope to reassure residents and maintain public confidence. As their governors emphasized, the goal is simple: “to ensure residents remain protected by science, not politics.”
